Topic: Film
After taking a year off in 2005, the Japanese Film Festival will be returning to Los Angeles this year. The Chanoma Film Festival 2006 will be showing 11 heart-warming Japanese films at West Hollywood’s Laemle’s Sunset 5 from Oct. 20 – 26.
The Chanoma Film Festival started in 2003-2004 with the goal of delivering better understanding of modern Japanese culture through realistic depiction of Japanese families.
Venue: Los Angeles - Laemmle Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90046, (323) 848-3500.
What the Snow Brings (2005, 112min) US Premiere Director: Kichitaro Negishi. Cast: Yusuke Iseya, Koichi Sato, Kyoko Koizumi, Kazue Fukiishi, Tsutomu Yamazaki. Swept 4 categories at the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival (2005) including the Grand Prix.
When you've lost everything, is there a place you can go back to?
Manabu Yazaki, who had big dreams of success in Tokyo, loses his high-class lifestyle as well as his family and returns home to the Hokkaido heartland in midwinter.
There his elder brother Takeo manages a stable for "Banei horserace", a sleigh-pulling race unique to Hokkaido. Their long overdue reunion exposes the gap between them even more. Takeo does not let his brother meet their aging mother who is living in a nursing home.
However, while he watches Manabu interact with the sometimes quirky stable workers and the horses as they face the challenges of racing day in and day out, Takeo decides to have his brother meet their mother. Gradually the two men develop an understanding between them.
Miracle Banana
Screening Schedule
Friday, Oct. 20 12:00 p.m. School Wars: HERO (118min), 2:40 p.m. Stone Age (109min), 5:00 p.m. SHARA (100min), 7:20 p.m. Hotel Hibiscus (92min), 9:30 p.m. River of First Love (113min).
Saturday, Oct. 21 12:00 p.m. Miracle Banana (105min), 2:20 p.m. Nagasaki Angelus Bells - 1945 (80min), 4:20 p.m. HINOKIO (111min), 7:00 p.m. Rakuda Ginza (109min), 9:20 p.m. Breathe In, Breathe Out (123min).
Sunday, Oct. 22 12:00 p.m. What the Snow Brings (112min), 2:30 p.m. School Wars: HERO (118min), 5:00 p.m. Hotel Hibiscus (92min), 7:10 p.m. River of First Love (113min), 9:40 p.m. SHARA (100min).
Monday, Oct. 23 12:00 p.m. Japanese Short Films Vol.1 (88min), 2:00 p.m. Nagasaki Angelus Bells - 1945 (80min), 4:00 p.m. Miracle Banana (105min), 7:00 p.m. Breathe In, Breathe Out (123min), 9:40 p.m. Stone Age (109min).
Tuesday, Oct. 24 12:00 p.m. Japanese Short Films Vol.2 (88min), 2:00 p.m. HINOKIO (111min), 4:30 p.m. SHARA (100min), 7:00 p.m. What the Snow Brings (112min), 9:30 p.m. Rakuda Ginza (109min).
Wednesday, Oct. 25 12:00 p.m. Japanese Short Films Vol.3 (90min), 2:10 p.m. Hotel Hibiscus (92min), 4:20 p.m. Stone Age (100min), 7:00 p.m. Nagasaki Angelus Bells - 1945 (80min), 9:00 p.m. River of First Love (113min).
Thursday, Oct. 26 12:00 p.m. Japanese Short Films Vol.1 (88min), 2:00 p.m. Breathe In, Breathe Out (123min), 4:40 p.m. Miracle Banana (105min), 7:00 p.m. Rakuda Ginza (109min), 9:20 p.m. What the Snow Brings (112min).
Advance Tickets: $20.00 (Each ticket allows Admission for 4 people and a free special program guide. Programs will be handed at the theatre). Day of screening: General admission $10.00, Student $8.50, Children (12 and under) and Seniors (62 and over) $7.00, Matinee $7.00. Group discount: $3 per person for a group of more than eight people including at least one adult. For tickets, call (310) 676-7192. www.chanomafilmfestival.org.
